Patents by Inventor Clifford Knollenberg

Clifford Knollenberg has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method of growing epitaxial layers on a substrate
    Patent number: 8822314
    Abstract: An epitaxial growth method includes plasma treating a surface of a bulk crystalline Aluminum Nitride (AlN) substrate and subsequently heating the substrate in an ammonia-rich ambient to a temperature of above 1000° C. for at least 5 minutes without epitaxial growth. After heating the surface, a III-nitride layer is epitaxially grown on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Mark R. Teepe, Thomas Wunderer, Zhihong Yang, Noble M. Johnson, Clifford Knollenberg
  • METHOD OF GROWING EPITAXIAL LAYERS ON A SUBSTRATE
    Publication number: 20140011345
    Abstract: An epitaxial growth method includes plasma treating a surface of a bulk crystalline Aluminum Nitride (AlN) substrate and subsequently heating the substrate in an ammonia-rich ambient to a temperature of above 1000° C. for at least 5 minutes without epitaxial growth. After heating the surface, a III-nitride layer is epitaxially grown on the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Mark R. Teepe, Thomas Wunderer, Zhihong Yang, Noble M. Johnson, Clifford Knollenberg
  • Light emitting devices with an electrically active top reflector contact
    Patent number: 7812421
    Abstract: According to one described embodiment, a light emitting device structure includes an epitaxial contact layer disposed on an active region of the light emitting device structure, a multi-layer reflector disposed at least partially on the epitaxial contact layer, and conductive contacts abutting the epitaxial contact layer, the multi-layer reflector enclosing the conductive contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Palo Also Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Mark R. Teepe, Clifford Knollenberg, Zhihong Yang
  • LIGHT EMITTING DEVICES WITH AN ELECTRICALLY ACTIVE TOP REFLECTOR CONTACT
    Publication number: 20080144688
    Abstract: According to one described embodiment, a light emitting device structure includes an epitaxial contact layer disposed on an active region of the light emitting device structure, a multi-layer reflector disposed at least partially on the epitaxial contact layer, and conductive contacts abutting the epitaxial contact layer, the multi-layer reflector enclosing the conductive contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Mark R. Teepe, Clifford Knollenberg, Zhihong Yang
  • Acoustic devices using an AIGaN piezoelectric region
    Publication number: 20070139141
    Abstract: Provided is a method of forming an acoustic based device, including forming an AlGaN region having a first surface and a second surface. A first electrode is deposited on the first surface of the AlGaN region, and then a second electrode is deposited on a second surface of the AlGaN-region. In another aspect of the present application, the AlGaN region is formed by an epitaxial layer overgrowth process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Clifford Knollenberg, Michael Kneissl, Noble Johnson